To read about F's and my London trip, start here and click "newer post" to continue the story.

Sunday, July 01, 2007

I have an informal list of things I won't miss about Memphis. Wendi Thomas is muscling her way onto it with her dang column today, which I won't even link to, in which she bemoans the SC decision to end the assignment of kids to school by race. Even though she admits that in Memphis, where white kids make up 9% of the student population and many schools have fewer than 3 white students or no white students at all, it can't make any difference. Even though she admits that when Bush was elected she predicted that she'd be picking cotton on a plantation by the time he's out of office and now realizes that won't happen - does she realize how extremely offensive that is to those of us who voted for Bush? Does she realize what she's calling us?

From the article: "But there's got to be some mixing for the black student not to buy into the stereotypes he'll hear about white kids, and vice versa. Especially vice versa."

Sure, Monnie. I haven't seen you suggest that everyone who voted for Bush wears a sheet. People can disagree, it's OK. It's really best, because people disagreeing keeps us from running over a cliff one way or the other. I gritted my teeth through 8 years of Bill Clinton but as far as I recall I never said anything ugly about people who voted for him. I didn't think anything ugly about them. They were Americans who voted the way they thought best.

Wendi apparently is oblivious to the fact that for her to say that white kids "especially" need to be disabused of their stereotypes is itself a stereotype.

Well, i can actually dig what WC's saying with the "especially". we live in a predominately white neighborhood and my kids go to a predominately white public school. let me just say, some of their friends are still learning some stuff at home that they don't know that they probably shouldn't repeat. the neighborhood friends are often surprised that we vacation and go out to dinner or that my kids are good students. the school friends are often surprised by where we live. so in this very rare instance, i actually can feel what WC's saying.

Dmac, I have no doubt that there are white kids who learn inappropriate things at home and have to unlearn them at school. The thing is, there are black kids in the same boat. My daughter, who attended public school here in Memphis for middle and high school, could write a book. What I question is Wendi's "especially". We white folks are told all the time that we can't and don't understand the black experience, and to the extent that that's true, black people don't understand the white experience. To exactly the extent.

As to Ms. Ophelia, I probably should not have used the word "lush" which is unnecessarily harsh. I think she is physically ill, and I think her illness stems from her severe alcoholism. She needs to get that under control (a) before it kills her, and (b) before she takes on a commitment like being a state senator. My (black) coworkers were talking about her today ... one POV was that the media don't have to jump on her every time they get the chance, another POV was that that's how they pay the bills, and that she should know that she's in the public eye now and should straighten her act accordingly if she doesn't like her press. My contribution was that if my brother told the Commercial Appeal that he was staging a family intervention because my addiction was out of control I'd be mad as hell. Sure, care about me and try to fix my problem, but you don't have to tell the dang world about it.

I looked into this Wendi person today and I have to say that whereas I understood some of the points she was attempting to make, her "attack" (as it could only be referred to) is all wrong.

See...it's like this. The only people willing to talk about race matters publically are those that have learned how to throw caution to the wind because controversy sells. AND THEY ARE TRYING TO GET PAID!

Those of us who are serious about making a difference and making a change are the type of people who were raised to respect other people and would NEVER say some of the rude and crude things that folks like this would say. Why? Because we're not trying to sell ish.

Let her talk. Let Ann Coulter talk. Just don't buy into ish without using your own damn brain. I cannot and WILL NOT be brainwashed. I care about people. Black people, white people, Hispanic people...hell...you know me...I care about everyone. UNTILL...you show me that you are truly, TRULY a fuggin idjit. Then...I have no more words for you.

The same idjit I consider Michael Richards is the same type of idjit I consider Kanye West. Racists come in all shapes and colors.

Go sell your ish elsewhere. I ain't buying.

You don't like what this woman says...don't buy and read the papers she writes for. Money talks. When the numbers start dipping and the reason is clarified...she'll be replaced. Simple.

The moral of the story is quite simple. Mind your manners and be a good person. Matter of fact...that's the moral of MOST stories.

Controversy

About Me

e-mail me
southernxyl at hotmail dot com
I am Laura, southernxyl. Where does "southernxyl" come from? First of all, I am from Mississippi and I've lived in the South since I graduated from college. When I was a kid my brother was a ham radio operator. I learned some of the shorthand expressions hams used to save tapping that key. One was "yl", for "young lady" (girl) and one was "xyl" for "ex-young lady" (woman). So I am a southern ex-young lady.
I live with R, my husband of 30 years, and two cats.